When I spoke to a friend on Monday he described the Cheltenham Festival as like Christmas but better and after the events of Tuesday at Prestbury Park on Tuesday it’s hard to disagree.
Christmas is about socializing, for many it’s about drinking and having a good time, Cheltenham provides all that, it’s a week of escapism and a chance to enjoy unrivalled sporting theatre but last year Christmas didn’t come.
Last year, people watched and enjoyed the racing but it wasn’t the same. There was no socializing, no roar and the greatest show on turf was played in front of no audience as pandemic protocols relegated us all to watch from afar.
The phrase, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ perhaps, never more apt than the 15th March 2022 as whilst last year the home of jumps racing had no occupants, this year they returned in their droves.
68,567 piled through the gates to set a record attendance for the Tuesday at the Festival.
The walk up to the course evokes memories such as 2015 where the agony of Annie Power’s fall still haunts many a racegoer.
As the gates approached, and fans flocked to get in the view from trackside is enough to warm the heart of any sporting fan.
Less heartwarming was the £7 for a pint of Guinness, but against the Carling at £6.90 the Guinness was far better value.
As 13:30 approached the grandstand was packed as people prepared for the beginning of the four biggest days of the racing calendar.
After a brief hush, the horses approached the tape and there was a huge cresecendo as 24 months since fans last saw a festival race was about to end, the crowd were ready to roar. False start.
Nervous laughter amongst frustration was palpable as the horses came again and this time they were off and a deafening cacophony reverberated around Cheltenham the festival was finally underway.
The noise increased again as the horses flashed past the grandstand and then dies down before the stunning climax of the Supreme.
Dysart Dynamo fell and left the race at the Nicky Henderson duo of Jonbon and Constitution Hill’s mercy, and the latter seized full advantage streaking home by 22 lengths to send the crowd wild and get the punters off to a flying start.
The racing seemed to fly by after that, Edwardstone won the Arkle for Scotland and Corach Rambler finished like a train to give Lucinda Russell a winner and Britain after a 23-5 drubbing last year were now 3-0 up.
There was a second win for Nicky Henderson as Marie’s Rock won a scrappy mares hurdle before Brazil won a thriller in the boodles and Willie Mullins got on the board in the last.
However, that was all after a queen regained her crown in the Champion Hurdle in stunning fashion.
Questioned by some about whether her 14 wins from 14 races was good enough from, coming round the bend Honeysuckle and Rachel Blackmore banished the doubters as they stormed home to make it a fabulous 15 from 15.
The crowd showed their adulation as she entered the winners enclosure in a spine-tingling reception befitting of a special mare who reminded everyone on the first day of the festival why Cheltenham is a place like no other.
Archie Connolly Sport 